Region increases pass cost; school boards look to provide own service

Durham Transit bus

Ryan Putnam, the Catholic board's superintendent of business and chief financial officer, said the switch-over has started for public and Catholic boards providing bus service for high schools students.

"We'll transition to traditional school buses. We do have six months to transition. It's enough time to set that transition," Mr. Putnam said.

The move comes after a decision by Durham Region council to increase the amount charged for bus passes used by high school students to $74 from the current $49.50, starting in September.

The Catholic board picks up the $1.8-million cost of the bus passes, while the public board requires parents to pay.

Mr. Putnam said moving to provide bus transportation for high school students is "a neutral cost. It's not a cost saving."

Right now, the Catholic board provides bus service for all elementary students and high school students in the three northern communities of Uxbridge, Scugog and Brock. "We'll expand that to include urban secondary students. We'll expand our services accordingly," Mr. Putnam noted.

"We're in the process of discussing the service with our operator (Durham Student Transportation Services)," he said, adding school principals will also be included in discussions.

"We want to make sure everyone is aware of the changes and they're ready for September."

He admitted the bus service "won't be to the same level of transit" as currently exists.

"We recognize extracurriculars are a critical part of the school experience. We'll work to make sure they're not abandoned. But, there will be a change. There's a limitation to what we're able to do," Mr. Putnam said.

During the Regional council meeting when the increase was approved, Whitby Catholic board trustee Chris Leahy said the 49.5-per cent increase is "a prohibitive expense on the board that we're not able to afford. We operate within a funding envelope and without an increase in our funding base, it requires a decrease in other costs."

Unless the Region lowered the increase, the boards would have to end the partnership, Mr. Leahy told Regional council.

"If it's not within our funding envelope; we have to go to yellow and black (school buses)," Mr. Leahy added.

Using school buses "isn't the best option for the community," he said.

When asked if the boards were prepared to approach the Province for extra funding, Mr. Leahy said, "We're prepared to go and ask, but it's a pretty strict rule. There are 72 boards in the province and we're all funded the same."

Uxbridge Mayor Gerri Lynn O'Connor said in her community, students have been riding school buses and "our kids have all survived."

In the three northern Durham municipalities, students wanting to do extracurriculars have to find their own way home, she added.

Mr. Putnam said under the Education Act, the board has to pay the full cost or pass the full cost on to parents. It can't pay a portion and have parents pay the remainder.

Mr. Leahy added it's not the Catholic board's policy to pass on such costs to parents.

Regional Chairman Roger Anderson asked if the board was "prepared to walk away from our transit pass, with all-day every-day seven-day-a-week passes and put students on school buses from 7 a.m. to 3 p.m. It's one-third the service."